"Your reason for stealing was to fund a lifestyle totally beyond your legitimate means. At the time of your detection by employers in August 2003 you were on a Caribbean holiday financed in effect by your dishonesty."

The court heard solicitors from the firm flew out to the Caribbean to question Tyler about his stealing.

Judge Hopkins said, "It seemed to them that you had a total, detailed knowledge of every dishonest transaction you had carried out.

"When they searched your garage they found many of the relevant files. This case is as serious a breach of trust as you could imagine."

Peter Heywood, defending Tyler, said he "apologised" for his criminal behaviour.

He said, "The clang of the prison gates will be hard for this professional man and it will bring great shame on him."